لا حينَ صَبرٍ فَخَلِّ الدَمعَ يَنهَمِلُ
فَقدُ الشَبابِ بِفَقدِ الروحِ مُتَّصِلُ
No respite when patience departs and tears flow
Youth is linked to the soul's loss when it's gone
سَقياً وَرَعياً لِأَيّامِ الشَبابِ وَإِن
لَم يَبقَ مِنهُ لَهُ رَسمٌ وَلا طَلَلُ
To tend and shepherd my youthful days though
No vestige nor ruins of it remain
جَرَّ الزَمانُ ذُيولاً في مَفارِقِهِ
وَلِلزَمانِ عَلى إِحسانِهِ عِلَلُ
Time has dragged its train in our parting
And for time's kindness endless excuses remain
وَرُبَّما جَرَّ أَذيالَ الصِبا مَرَحاً
وَبَينَ بُردَيهِ غُصنٌ ناعِمٌ خَضِلُ
Sometimes youth frolics, its gown flowing
Between its folds a soft, tender branch sways
يُصبي الغَواني وَيَزهاهُ بِشِرَّتِهِ
شَرخُ الشَبابِ وَثَوبٌ حالِكٌ رَجلُ
It cheers the flirts and adorns with its liveliness
The prime of youth and a shabby, worn cloak
لا تَكذِبَنَّ فَما الدُنيا بِأَجمَعِها
مِنَ الشَبابِ بِيَومٍ واحِدٍ بَدَلُ
Do not lie, nothing in this world
Can for a single day replace one's youth
كَفاكَ بِالشَيبِ عَيباً عِندَ غانِيَةٍ
وَبِالشَبابِ شَفيعاً أَيُّها الرَجُلُ
Gray hair is disgrace enough for a flirt
While youth intercedes, O man
بانَ الشَبابُ وَوَلّى عَنكَ باطِلُهُ
فَلَيسَ يَحسُنُ مِنكَ اللَهوُ وَالغَزَلُ
Youth has gone, its vanity turned from you
Revelry and amorous verse no more suit you
أَمّا الغَواني فَقَد أَعرَضنَ عَنكَ قِلىً
وَكانَ إِعراضُهُنَّ الدَلُّ وَالخَجَلُ
The flirts have turned away, caring little
Their indifference the proof and shame
أَعَرنَكَ الهَجرَ ما ناحَت مُطَوَّقَةٌ
فَلا وِصالٌ وَلا عَهدٌ وَلا رُسُلُ
They shun you, no bond nor troth remains
No union, no covenant, no messages come
لَيتَ المَنايا أَصابَتني بِأَسهُمِها
فَكُنَّ يَبكينَ عَهدي قَبلَ أَكتَهِلُ
Would that death had stricken me with its arrows
So they'd cry for me before I was fully grown
عَهدَ الشَبابِ لَقَد أَبقَيتَ لي حَزَناً
ماجَدَّ ذِكرُكَ إِلّا جَدَّ ثَكَلُ
The days of my youth left me but sorrow
Its memory stirs no more but barren grief
إِنَّ الشَبابَ إِذا ماحَلَّ رائِدُهُ
في مَنهَلٍ رادَ يَقفو إِثرَهُ أَجَلُ
When a scout's youth starts to fade
Death stalks his trail, eager to seal his fate
